1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a video signal processing apparatus and a method for controlling a video signal processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for enabling a user to efficiently and easily specify secondary analog connections for a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the apparatus via a digital data bus network connection and a plurality of analog inputs.
2. Related Art
A data bus can be utilized for interconnecting electronic devices, such as television signal receivers, personal computers, display devices, video cassette recorders (VCRs), digital versatile disk (DVD) players, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) receivers, home control devices (e.g., security systems, temperature control devices, etc.), and/or other devices. Communication using a data bus typically occurs in accordance with a specified bus protocol. An example of such a bus protocol includes the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers 1394 High Performance Serial Bus protocol (IEEE 1394, or Firewire™), which is generally known in the art.
With a network, such as an IEEE 1394 network, a plurality of devices can be interconnected and the devices can exchange data, such as audio and/or video data, over the network. Moreover, a user may control one device on the network through inputs to another device on the network. Accordingly, a network such as an IEEE 1394 network provides interoperability among devices connected to the network. An IEEE 1394 bus can also accommodate a relatively large number of interconnected devices (e.g., up to 63), which may be connected in a daisy chain fashion.
Electronics Industries Association (EIA) 775 is a standard that describes how a source device sends data (e.g., on-screen display data, audio/video data, etc.) to a target device over an IEEE 1394 bus. In particular, EIA 775 acknowledges the fact that some source devices can send digital data, such as Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) video data, as well as analog data. For example, certain set-top boxes are capable of receiving and sending digital signals such as Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) signals, as well as analog signals such as National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) signals. To accommodate such devices, EIA 775 specifies that a source device can inform a target device whether the signals it is sending to the target device are digital or analog. Accordingly, when the target device receives this information, its input source can be switched, for example, to an IEEE 1394 input connector if the signals are digital, or to one of its analog input connectors if the signals are analog.
With certain conventional devices, a user may interact with a potential target device to specify that a specific source device is connected to a given analog input terminal of the target device. For example, this interaction may occur when a new source device is connected to the target device, or in response to user selection of a set-up display in the target device. Unfortunately however, with such conventional devices this type of interaction is available only on a device-by-device basis. That is, conventional devices do not provide a single screen indicating all source devices connected to a target device and all of the possible analog inputs associated with the target device. Instead, a user may be required to navigate through multiple screens (e.g., one screen per source device) to specify the connections for a target device. This can be particularly inconvenient and time consuming for the user since he/she may have to navigate through many different screens to specify device connections. Moreover, the use of multiple screens to specify device connections can be problematic since the user must mentally keep track of the different source devices and connections on the target device as he/she navigates through the multiple screens.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus which avoids the foregoing problems, and thereby enables users to specify analog connections for devices on a data bus network such as an IEEE 1394 network in a more convenient, time-efficient manner. The present invention addresses these and other issues.